Simone Gbagbo: From Ivory Coast’s First Lady to Presidential Challenger

Ivory Coast’s former First Lady Simone Gbagbo — once wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity — is contesting the presidential election this Saturday, marking a bold new chapter in her political journey, this time without her ex-husband.

The 76-year-old politician, long known in the West African nation as the “Iron Lady,” is among the most high-profile contenders approved to challenge incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, who is widely expected to secure a fourth term.

A Polarizing Political Figure

Simone Gbagbo played a central role during former President Laurent Gbagbo’s turbulent tenure, which was marred by civil conflict between 2002 and 2007 and again following the disputed 2010 election.

“All ministers respected me — often even more than him,” she once told the French newspaper L’Express, reflecting her influence during her husband’s rule.

When Laurent Gbagbo refused to concede defeat to Ouattara in 2010, violence erupted across the country, killing about 3,000 people before the couple was captured together at their residence in Abidjan.

From Prisoner to Party Founder

In 2021, Laurent Gbagbo filed for divorce, ending a partnership that had begun during their days as young opposition activists. A year later, Simone launched her own party — the Movement of Capable Generations — which she describes as rooted in social democratic principles.

Political historian Arthur Banga says she’s unlikely to win this year’s vote given her limited political base, but her candidacy signals long-term ambitions.

“She’s positioning herself for the future,” Banga told Reuters, noting that with Laurent Gbagbo and former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam disqualified from the race, Simone could emerge as a key figure in the opposition. “After these elections, she could become the leading voice of political opposition,” he added.

Decades of Defiance

Simone Gbagbo’s political journey began in the 1970s as a trade unionist opposing the single-party rule of Ivory Coast’s founding president, Félix Houphouët-Boigny.

In the 1980s, alongside Laurent Gbagbo — whom she married in 1989 — she co-founded the Ivorian Popular Front, helping shape the opposition’s political identity. She entered national politics in 1995, winning a parliamentary seat during elections dominated by then-President Henri Konan Bédié’s Democratic Party.

Her husband assumed the presidency five years later.

Following their arrest in 2011, Laurent Gbagbo was sent to The Hague to face ICC charges, while the Ouattara government refused to extradite Simone. Instead, she was tried domestically and sentenced in 2015 to 20 years in prison for crimes against the state.

She was granted amnesty in 2018 by President Ouattara in what was widely seen as an attempt to ease political tensions.

A Campaign Built on Reconciliation

Now free and politically rejuvenated, Simone Gbagbo has built her campaign around national reconciliation — a theme that resonates in a country still scarred by years of unrest.

Her platform calls for a broad amnesty law to release all political and military prisoners and facilitate the return of Ivorians living in exile.

She has also championed what she calls “true monetary sovereignty” for Ivory Coast, advocating for the replacement of the CFA franc — a euro-pegged regional currency — with an alternative West African currency.

In foreign policy, she has expressed support for the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a coalition of countries — Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — now under military rule and at odds with Ouattara’s government.

Support from Former Allies

Earlier this month, Simone’s campaign received a boost from Charles Blé Goudé, a former ally of her ex-husband and a prominent political figure acquitted by the ICC in 2019 alongside Laurent Gbagbo.

According to Banga, Simone’s decision to run demonstrates both resilience and strategy. “She has proven herself to be a committed politician — and above all, a pragmatic one,” he said. “By contesting this election, she’s strengthening her political legitimacy at a time when the 83-year-old Ouattara is expected to make his final run.”

Looking Beyond 2025

For Simone Gbagbo, this election may not be about immediate victory but about reclaiming political relevance in a country undergoing generational change.

As Banga put it: “Let’s not forget — 2030 will be different.”